The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-05-25
A Remarkable Polly.

kemarkuDlc fOiiy.
Polly was happy in his home, but he
finally became too sociable for Mr..
Crick's use, and this was the cause of
his sale and my becoming his master,
friend-his last owner. His obtrusive
sociability consisted in eating from the
baby's hand. One day the baby was
eating candy. Polly wanted some of
that candy, so he Just walked up to
where baby was sitting at the door and
from baby's hand. When baby cried he
broke out in a fit of laughter, which
novel concert brought the family to the
enc, and from that moment it was re-
solved, finally and irrevocably, that
Polly must CO." He was at once de-
prived of his liberty by being put into
his cage and transported to Lancaster,
five miles distant, to be sold. He was
kept in basement restaurant, where l
for the first time saw him, loved him,
and bought HIM.
A large volume may be written OF
my more than twenty years experience
with this wonderful creature: OF the
excursions we made together through
the surrounding country; of our trips
to various large cities of Pennsylvania I;
of his tricks in gymnastics; of his ac-
compartment when / whistled "Sweet
Home;" of his gathering up from the
floor a number of coins, carefully
bringing them to me in a perfect roll
and placing them in my hand; of his
ringing a bell, carving little bucket
of water, bringing my hat, my handker-
chief or my purse, when told to do so,
and of a nmber of other equally won
derful feats indicating extraordinary
sagacity, if not reasoning powers. But
l will content myself with giving one
remarkable episode in mis- career which
1 think most astonishing of all, and one
in which |, for one, found great diff
Guilty in fixing the line where animal
instinct" ceases and reasoning faculties
begin.
In 1876 1 left for Europe, and ex-
pecting to stay for several years, be-
thought me as to what disposition to
make of my pet during my absence. 1t
occurred TO me that the safest place
would be the Geological Gardens at
Philadelphia, and there, accordingly,
left him.
After three years and three months
absence, / called at the Zoo and re-
quested the superintendent, Mr.. Brown,
to accompany me to the bird house,
telling him that L proposed to put Pol
~ to test as TO the retentiveness of
his memory. Mr.. Brown cheerfully
complied, and we were witnesses of one
of the most remarkable instances of
animal sagacity on record. will quote
from an article in Philadelphia pa
per, which appeared a few days later,
and was written by one of the report
ers after an interview with the Super
/ intendent. He says:
"On entering the bird house Mr..
! Sprenger took his station on the OPP
posite side of the building from that
occupied by Polly, where the bird
could not see him and then exclaimed
Where's my Polly?' Immediately
the bird recognized the voice of his
/ former MASTER became excited, walked
back and forth on his perch, showing
as best he could by voice and gesture,
that he wished TO answer the question
by saving, Here l am 1t was a clear
case OF instant recognition. Then Mr..
Sprenger went to his pet, and the
scene is described by Mr.. Brown as
the reunion of parent and child.
/ The aflectionate creature ran his bill
through his old masters mustache in
the attempt to kiss him, rubbed his
head against his cheek, then kissed
him again and nestled close to his old
friend, as though he feared he might
lose him again. Then Mr.. Sprenger
tested him in some of his old tricks to
prove his memory, and they were per.
formed with as much readiness as in
former days.
Polly, l have lost my pocket book,
said his old friend, after having dropped
it. Then Polly went in search of il
and soon brought it in his bill, and
having deposited it in his friends hand,
expressed his Joy in hearty laugh.
On Mr.. Sprenger's taking his leave OF
him he was almost frantic with grief,
and it was only with difficulty that his
keeper prevented him from following
the master he so affectionately loved. "
-AUdubop Magazine.
improved.